Is Being a Good Person Sufficient, or Must One Also Be Religious?

From the perspective of the Holy Quran, the concepts of 'being a good person' and 'being religious' are not separate; rather, they are deeply intertwined and complement each other. The Quran posits that true and lasting goodness originates from profound faith in God and adherence to His commands. In other words, genuine religiosity manifests itself through righteous deeds, excellent morals, and virtuous conduct towards both the Creator and creation. Merely performing good actions without having faith in God and the Day of Judgment, from the Quran's viewpoint, does not achieve completeness and may lack sustainability, depth, and ultimate reward in the hereafter. The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the inseparable connection between *Iman* (heartfelt belief in God and what He has revealed) and *Amal Saleh* (performing good and righteous deeds). In numerous verses, these two concepts are mentioned together, and the promise of Paradise and salvation is given to those who 'believe and do righteous deeds.' This combination indicates that faith without action is an empty claim, and action without faith lacks a soul and divine direction. True faith serves as a strong motivation for doing good, as a believer performs good deeds not merely to gain people's satisfaction but to earn the pleasure of their Lord, knowing that the reward for their actions is preserved with God. This perspective imbues good deeds with a meaning and depth that transcend the boundaries of material life, guiding them towards eternity. According to the Quran, 'being good' encompasses various dimensions that can only become comprehensive and complete through genuine 'religiosity.' These dimensions include: fulfilling the rights of God (such as monotheism and sincere worship), fulfilling one's own rights (such as purity and self-purification), fulfilling the rights of people (such as justice, kindness, honesty, and trustworthiness), and fulfilling the rights of nature. The religion introduced by the Quran is not merely a collection of rituals and ceremonies; rather, it is a comprehensive system of life that embraces all aspects of human existence, aiming to cultivate a complete human being. A person who constantly walks the path of piety and goodness is responsible, loyal to their promises, kind and fair to others, and does not remain silent in the face of injustice and corruption. These are all manifestations of true religiosity. Imagine an individual who performs many good deeds: they help the poor, are kind to people, and are considered a useful member of society. These actions are undoubtedly valuable and will have positive effects in this world. However, if this person has no belief in God, accountability, or the afterlife, what would be their motivation for performing these good deeds? Their motivation might be inner satisfaction, fame, social respect, or even fear of legal punishment. In contrast, a believer performs good deeds with a divine motivation; that is, to earn the pleasure of the God who created and sustains them, and they are certain of the reward in the hereafter. This difference in motivation alters the depth and sustainability of the action. A religious person knows that every action, no matter how small, is recorded and will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment. This awareness encourages them to persist in goodness and avoid evil, even in solitude. Therefore, 'religiosity,' in the Quran's view, provides a framework for 'being good' that extends beyond mere human ethics. This framework gives humanity a noble purpose and guides them towards absolute perfection. Religion teaches humanity that their Creator has created the world with order and justice, and that human beings must also observe this order and justice in their lives. Religion provides a firm foundation for ethics that does not waver with changing human preferences. Furthermore, true religiosity prevents hypocrisy and insincerity, because a true believer knows that God is aware of their inner thoughts and intentions, and merely outward actions without purity of intention are worthless. In conclusion, the Holy Quran does not consider being merely good as sufficient; rather, it deems it an inseparable part of religiosity. For a true Muslim, being good is not a choice but the fruit and prerequisite of their faith. Religiosity without righteous deeds and good morals is incomplete religiosity, and the claim of faith without its manifestation in behavior is meaningless. For this reason, the Quran constantly invites believers to perform good deeds and adhere to moral principles, presenting these two as the key to salvation in this world and the hereafter. Heartfelt faith in God and the afterlife, coupled with righteous deeds stemming from this faith, pave the way for human perfection and eternal felicity.